Wonder Hostess outlet closes in Fondulac Plaza

As Sandi Buie got out of her car in the Fondulac Plaza parking lot Nov. 20, an elderly man was waiting in his truck.

She told him, “The store’s shut down for good.”

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East Peoria Times-Courier - East Peoria, IL

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Posted Nov. 28, 2012 at 3:43 PM
Updated Nov 28, 2012 at 3:47 PM

Posted Nov. 28, 2012 at 3:43 PM
Updated Nov 28, 2012 at 3:47 PM

As Sandi Buie got out of her car in the Fondulac Plaza parking lot Nov. 20, an elderly man was waiting in his truck.

She told him, “The store’s shut down for good.”

He responded, “I can’t get three loaves of white?”

Buie repeated: “The store’s shut down for good.”

Buie was referring to the Wonder Hostess Outlet in Fondulac Plaza where she worked.

Inside, Sue Williamson, lead clerk at Wonder Hostess, was busy cleaning out the nearly-empty business.

The business, located in Fondulac Plaza, is now closed. Williamson said she learned the business was closing Nov. 16.

“The employees knew something was going to happen. The general public did not,” she said.

Williamson said she worked at the company for nine years and her co-worker, Buie, worked there for five years.

“We’re sad that we’re losing our jobs. We’re going to miss our customers, most of them. There were just the two of us (working at Wonder Hostess),” Williamson said. “We’re going to miss working with each other.”

Williamson said she will keep in touch with Buie.

Wonder Hostess was originally in Sunnyland and moved to Fondulac Plaza about four years ago. Williamson said the store had been in Sunnyland for about 30 years.